Pembrokeshire – along with all local authorities – has until June to put forward applications for a share of £220million UK Community Renewal Fund (UK CRF).

The fund, cabinet heard on Monday, will be the initial replacement for structural European funding and the pilot will inform the approach of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to be introduced in the 2022/23 financial year.

External funding manager Gwyn Evans said that the council would be the lead authority and bids have been invited from project applicants, which will be appraised and a shortlist compiled up to a maximum of £million per area for submission to UK Government.

The deadline for submission is June 18, with concerns about the “tight deadline” raised by Clr. Jon Harvey.

The deadline for applications is May 4 with initial appraisal by May 21. A shortlist for submission will be prepared by June 11.

The council can also bid for funding for its own projects but the functions of staff involved in bidding and those involved in appraisal must carefully separated to avoid rejection by the Ministry of housing, communities and local government.

Mr. Evans added that there was the potential for areas to receive no funding with allocation based on “scoring of applications” and the “onus is on us to encourage the best applications we can get and selecting the best ones. This is going to be a fairly competitive bidding round.”